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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23270929">Drift Currents</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pretentiouskneecap/pseuds/pretentiouskneecap'>pretentiouskneecap</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pacific Rim (Movies), RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Day 7: AU/Free Day, Fair Game Week (RWBY), Fair Game Week 2020, Grief, M/M, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Referenced History of Alcohol Use</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:00:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,346</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23270929</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pretentiouskneecap/pseuds/pretentiouskneecap</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the fall of the Beacon Shatterdome, the rate of Grimm invasions has only gotten worse. With the Atlesian Shatterdome one of two remaining strongholds left standing, Qrow and his group of young jaegar pilots must do everything they can to save it. </p><p>PacificRim!AU</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Atlas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Fair Game Week Day 7: AU/Free Day</p><p>Pacific Rim Summary: Years ago, giant alien monsters known as Kaiju began to invade Earth through an interdimensional rift in the ocean. After a disastrous first encounter with a Kaiju that took the military four days to bring down and caused the loss of tens of thousands of lives, humanity created giant robots known as Jaegers to fight back. Jaegers are piloted by a pair of rangers who are connected via a neural link called 'the drift' that allows them to combine their thoughts and memories to work in unison. These pairs need to be 'drift compatible,' able to be in sync with each other, for the neural link to form. Over the years, the Kaiju have grown in strength and humanity has fallen behind. </p><p>TW: Please be aware that the first scene of this chapter contains the Pacific Rim-canon typical graphic depictions of violence and the death of a character (it's not Clover). The death itself is not described in explicit detail, but it does occur in the scene. If you would like to avoid it, skip the italics section below. </p><p>There was no way I was going to finish this in time, but I'm posting this first chapter now just to meet the deadline for Day 7. I will try to finish and have the rest up sometime later in the week (I may need a day or two to recover from writing and read some of the amazing fics I've been missing out on). </p><p>This chapter follows the plot of RWBY V7E1 fairly closely, but future installments should be less RWBY-y and more Pacific Rim-y, I promise. </p><p>I will also be taking some liberties with the way certain elements function in Pacific Rim canon, because I can :) </p><p>Grimm = Kaiju</p><p>Hope you enjoy! Happy end of Fair Game Week!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Rain was falling, cold and relentless on his face. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Logically, he knew that wasn’t right. He knew that in reality he was warm and dry, wrapped in his flight suit and protected by the hull of the Jaegar around him. His mind, however, was one with the Jaegar itself, feeling everything from the cold of the rain and the ocean’s spray to the warmth of the person beside him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The person whose mind he was inside, and whose mind was inside his in turn. The feeling of a warm day against the quick flights of his own mind. A flash of a warm smile, the spark of lively silver eyes. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Summer. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He saw himself as well as her, red eyed and smirking underneath visor of his helmet.</em>
</p><p><em>She grinned fiercely as they strode through the breaking waves, bodies and minds moving as one to move Bad Omen</em> <em>closer to the breach. The Jaegar wasn’t her usual one, but she’d adapted to it with the same impressive capabilities that had made her the star of the Beacon Shatterdome and a hero of Vale. </em></p><p>
  <em>A piercing scream shred the white noise of the ocean as the Grimm erupted out of the waves, sending a towering spray of water over their heads. As one, they braced, dropping into their first stance. The Grimm was the largest either of them had ever seen, the first classified as a Category III. Its face was surrounded by strong limbs like tentacles that whipped in the roar of the wind and slapped against the water below. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Together, they stepped forward. As the first tentacle struck out toward their right side, Summer was already moving, releasing the thin red blade from the Jaegar’s right arm and slicing the limb down the middle, thick black blood spurting out as the Grimm screamed again. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Recovering quickly, they spun back to balance on the other foot, ducking under the next two tentacles as they came. He directed the Jaegar’s left arm past the coiling appendages to strike the Grimm’s body, embedding the straight shaft of his blade deep in the monster’s core. The shriek it released was thin as the gelatinous body seemed to crumple in on itself, sinking back below the waves. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>They celebrated together, he could barely distinguish her bright excitement against his own satisfaction. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>That was fast. It was. Do you think we’ll beat any records? Maybe. Tai’s gonna be sorry-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Grimm activity levels rising!” a panicked shout was their only warning before they were falling, knocked backward as the Grimm snagged a tentacle around their leg and whipped it back. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Qrow! Now! </em>
</p><p>
  <em>His fingers were already moving to press the buttons on the screen ahead, the blade along his arm retracting to release the gun inside. He shot forward, barely pausing to aim, trying to provide cover as they struggled back to their feet. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>They managed to center their gravity before another tentacle hit them from above, striking the top of the hull and renting the metal underneath the force of the blow. They screamed as their legs crumpled beneath them and the sky disappeared as the waves closed over the hull. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Summer- I know!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The blade on their left arm reformed. Bringing their hands together, they surged up once more, stabbing the dual blades upward through the water and into flesh. The Grimm’s mouth gaped open, giving them a view of rings and rings of teeth going down as far as they could see. It threw itself at their head, suction cups surrounding the edges of its mouth attaching around their eyes. They brought their arms up in unison, attempting vainly to push free. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Another tentacle slammed the hull over the already weakened spot, and the rent became a gash that exposed them to the sky, water flooding into the compartment. The pull of the wires yanked him forward, they snapped and sprayed fluid that covered his eyes, tasted like acid in his mouth.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Qrow! </em>
</p><p>
  <em>There was fear and terrible, terrible silence. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was her he was them and then he was alone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Qrow screamed. </em>
</p><p>“Uncle Qrow!”</p><p>He woke with a start, hand flying out to grab the one over his shoulder and shove it aside. He bolted upright, a snarl forming over his face before the world flooded back and he realized who he was who he was looking at.</p><p>He was not her. He was not Summer, as warm and bright as the season she was named after. He was not being pulled from a Jaegar. He was alone, only his own thoughts in his head, as it had been ever since that day, since he refused to set foot in another Jaegar. Alone with the ghost of one woman and the memories of the other, not dead but just as lost to him. He would never again be more than just him.</p><p>He reined in his gasps as he wrenched himself back together, cold sweat dripping down his forehead to the back of his neck.</p><p>The concerned silver eyes staring at him were almost identical to the ones in his dream but for the youth of the face that surrounded them. She clutched her hand to her chest.</p><p>He reached out, guilt pushing out all other concerns. “Shit. Sorry, kiddo. Didn’t mean to grab you like that.”</p><p>“Uncle Qrow, are you okay?” Ruby asked with a wide-eyed look, ignoring the apology.</p><p>Qrow rubbed his hands over his face, rubbing away the final vestiges of the nightmare. He was not Summer. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bad dream. Sorry for worrying you.”</p><p>He sat up more fully, allowing the blanket that had been over him to slide off his shoulders to the floor. He stretched out his muscles, wincing as things popped into place. He was definitely getting too old to be sleeping on metal floors. “How’re we doing on time?”</p><p>Ruby opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by a voice from the cockpit. “We should be there soon. Mantle will be in view in just a few minutes,” Maria said, voice hoarse from disuse while they all slept.</p><p>Qrow nodded, although with her chair turned around, Maria couldn’t see it. He turned to Ruby. “Come on, kiddo, let’s wake up the others.” He rose to his feet with a crack of his knees, ignoring Ruby’s sympathetic wince in response. He crouched and reached out his hand to shake shoulders, pitching his voice low to call out names as sleepy eyes looked at him blearily.</p><p>Soon enough, all the kids were up, working out the stiffness in their muscles and wandering toward the cockpit, attracted by the view. As they flew through the clouds, the city of Mantle came in and out of view. The dark metalwork and orange glow of the heating grid were stark against the white of the tundra in front of it and the gray and green of the mountain at its back.</p><p>Qrow took a seat in the co-pilot’s chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and resting his chin over his hands.</p><p>Leaning over his armrest, Ruby’s eye went wide as she took in the view. Her eyes darted back and forth as she examined the city in front of her. “So this is Mantle? Where’s the Shatterdome?” she asked, continuing to search.</p><p>Qrow and Maria chuckled together while Weiss scoffed from behind them. “You won’t find Atlas down there kiddo,” he said as Maria tipped the nose of the plane up to pull them above another cloud. He reached out two fingers, tilting up her chin as they broke through and the entirety of the mountain ahead emerged into view. “<em>That</em> is Atlas.”</p><p>Built into the very top of the mountain was a rounded building, appearing large in size even from their significant distance. The face of it pointed away from Mantle, outward toward the open sea and sky. The site of the Atlas Shatterdome had originally housed an observatory, and it owed its shining curved edges and elegantly crafted spires to the parts of the facility that had been maintained after the Grimm invasion began.</p><p>Atlas and Mantle had fared well in the fight against the Grimm. Compared to other cities along the coast, Mantle was uniquely primed for success due to the protective surrounding terrain, the abundance of silica and other precious metals in the mines, and the strong military base that had been already there. As such, it had pulled ahead in the fight, becoming a Shatterdome legendary for its success rate.</p><p>Currently, it was one of only two left in the world.</p><p>Gasps of wonder came from behind him as they took in the Shatterdome ahead.</p><p>“Get a good look, children,” Maria instructed. “I’ve come to Atlas more times than I can count, but you’ll never forget that view.”</p><p>Qrow had also seen the view before, more than once, but he was willing to admit that the sight of the Atlas Shatterdome was still impressive. What was more worrying, though, was the number of aircrafts hovering around it.</p><p>Weiss’s next words confirmed his thoughts. “Look at the fleet. I’ve never seen so many of them gathered together like that before.”</p><p>Qrow’s voice was grim. “They look like they’re preparing for an attack. A big one.”</p><p>“What should we do?” Ruby asked from next to him.</p><p>Qrow narrowed his eyes at the display of military power before them, considering what path to take. <em>James, what’re you doing?</em></p><p>“If they find out we’re in a stolen ship, security will stop us way before we make it to the Marshal,” Weiss said, correctly by Qrow’s estimation. “Maybe I can contact Winter and she get us into the ‘dome.”</p><p>Qrow nodded in agreement. “We’ll land in Mantle for now until Weiss can contact her sister. No use taking unnecessary risks until we know exactly what’s going on here.”</p><p>He looked around, seeing nods and determined expressions on the kids’ faces. Qrow knew that the young pilots were exhausted, physically and emotionally. The fall of Beacon had been a grievous defeat for them all, and Jaune had yet to recover after the loss of his copilot. Qrow knew from experience that a part of him never would.</p><p>Not to mention that the journey from Beacon to Atlas had been long and fraught with difficulty, most of humanity now tucked away in small pockets of civilization. The infrastructure holding the country together had started to rot as the Grimm threat increased. But they kept moving forward, determined to keep helping despite the danger.</p><p>Qrow was so proud of them.</p><p>Maria pulled on the controls to change their course, bringing them beneath the clouds again as she readied the landing gear and they dove into Mantle’s airspace.</p><p>-</p><p>Within the hour, they were out on the streets of Mantle, the orange of the heating grid growing brighter as the sun began to disappear beneath the horizon. Maria was leading them, walking confidently down the streets in the direction of a shop she had frequented in the past. The owner, she had told them confidently, was a trusted friend and a well-known engineer in the Atlas Shatterdome. He would be able to help them until they could contact Winter, or he could get a hold of the Shatterdome’s command himself.</p><p>The strain the growing number of Grimm attacks placed on Mantle was evident. Weary looks covered every face they passed, and groups of unaccompanied children ran wildly through the streets. Dilapidated buildings were visible in every direction, boarded up windows and faded signs a constant fixture. Graffiti covered the walls.</p><p>Jaune’s cautious voice broke the silence that had fallen across the group. “I thought Mantle was rich. Aren’t the mines here the main source for the metal that’s used to build the Jaegars? How is this possible?”</p><p>Qrow stopped short as a young girl cut in front of them, running toward a group of kids who were beckoning her over. The braid that had held her hair back was almost completely unraveled, and dirt covered the worn fabric of her clothes.</p><p>Maria provided Jaune with an answer. “You’re half right. When the Grimm invasions began, Mantle experienced unprecedented economic growth as the metal from the mines became vital for the Jaegar program. At first, it prospered under the new conditions. But as the Grimm attacks kept coming more and more quickly, the demand for Jaegar’s outstripped the mines’ production abilities. Thousands of people were moved in to increase the rate of supply, and shifts became longer and more dangerous. Every non-essential business went under almost overnight as their workers left to go to the mines. And because of the military, all excess funds made in Mantle are immediately given over to the Atlas Shatterdome and the Jaegar program.”</p><p>Ruby’s voice was quiet. “That’s awful.”</p><p>Maria nodded. “Yes, but so far it’s worked. No Grimm attack has ever made it past beach on the mountain’s opposite side.”</p><p>Nora’s mouth opened as though she was about to protest this statement when the blare of alarms across the city drowned out her words. The angry sound caused an abrupt change in the atmosphere as people tensed and started running away from the open street. A woman’s calm announcement cut through the sound and Qrow saw Weiss’s head snap to the side as she recognized her sister’s voice.</p><p><em>“Warning, Grimm Category IV invasion alert. Please proceed calmly to the nearest designated safety area until the all-clear is given. The Atlesian Military thanks you for your cooperation. Warning-</em>”</p><p>Qrow listened to the broadcast with mounting alarm. The last Grimm attack had been less than two weeks ago.</p><p>The frequency truly was increasing.</p><p>Qrow caught sight of a scrolling sign providing an arrow in the direction of the closest shelter.</p><p>“Time to move!” he barked, making sure everyone was accounted for before they took off, walking briskly. He kept an eye on Maria, periodically checking to confirm that she didn’t fall behind.</p><p>A young woman with curled red hair was moving in the opposite direction of the fleeing civilians, directing families forward and providing reassurance as she went. Something about her was familiar, although Qrow couldn’t place where he might have seen her.</p><p>He heard Ruby suck in a sharp gasp next to him just as the Atlesian girl’s eyes went wide and she threw herself past him, running at full speed.</p><p>“Salutations!” she cried, tackling Ruby while his niece let out a yelp and a groan as they hit the ground. Expressions of shock turned to laughter and teasing comments as the kids took in the scene before them.</p><p>Abruptly, Qrow realized why he’d recognized her. The robot-girl from Atlas who had been visiting the Beacon Shatterdome right before the fall. James had sent her to show Ozpin the newest advancements in technology. As far as Qrow knew, the program that had produced her had been cancelled, although he didn’t know why. He’d only seen her once, in passing. She’d been ripped apart in the battle, last he’d heard.</p><p>Ruby and the girl got to their feet, hugging tightly. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he took in the tears threatening to fall from his niece’s eyes.</p><p>“Penny! What’re you doing here? How did you survive Beacon?” Ruby asked, holding the robot-girl’s shoulders.</p><p>“After Beacon fell, the guards brought me back to Atlas and my father repaired me, good as new! General Ironwood has named me the Defender of Mantle! I’m here to make sure all the civilians find their way safely to the secure areas,” Penny answered proudly. She stepped back, turning her head to scan for stragglers. “This area is secure, for now. You should get to a shelter. I’m sorry to leave, but I have to go make sure no one is having any trouble elsewhere.”</p><p>Ruby hugged her tightly once more. “Okay. Will we see you up at the Shatterdome?”</p><p>Penny nodded excitedly. “I look forward to seeing you again!” With an electric wine, flight boosters in her feet shooting her into the air and over the tops of the buildings. Around them, the alarms continued to blare, Winter’s cool voice advised cooperation.</p><p>Qrow turned back to the group, jerking his head back in the direction the rest of the people had gone. “Come on, we need to get going too.”</p><p>They had just started moving again when Qrow heard the high-pitched sound of something slicing through the air ahead of him. He stiffened as he saw Ruby, Yang, and Weiss hit the ground ahead of him, wrists bound behind their backs. He had barely enough time to try to turn in the direction the bindings had come from before he too was falling to the ground, unable to throw out his arms and catch himself.</p><p>Qrow landed hard, barely managing to keep his face away from the concrete. He brought his head up to look for their attacks when a boot came into view in front of him. Craning his neck up, he saw the unmistakable colors of an Atlas uniform come into view before he was looking into a pair of bright green eyes.</p><p>He snarled at the man in front of him. “Hey pal, what the hell is wrong with you? Who arrests people in the middle of an evacuation?”</p><p>The man smiled down at him, twirling another pair of bolas in his hand casually.</p><p>“We got word of an unauthorized airship that had entered Atlesian airspace and made an unauthorized landing.” He bent down, patting along Qrow’s arms, waist, and down his legs to search for weapons.</p><p>Qrow tried to turn his head as much as he could to bring the man’s face back into view. “Well, I don’t know anything about that.”</p><p>The man gave him a dry smile, and Qrow felt annoyance flicker inside of him at the amusement in his green eyes. “That’s funny, considering you were spotting leaving the very airship we’d been told about. Not to mention that you don’t exactly look like you’re from around here.”</p><p>Qrow glanced at the group of young pilots around him, all proudly wearing the bright colors of their flight suits. Besides Blake, he was the only one wearing anything in a color anywhere close to being described as muted.</p><p>He grunted as the man grasped behind his elbows and lifted him to his feet. He could see other soldiers surrounding the kids and doing the same. For all that he’d let Qrow hit the ground at full force, the man’s hands were gentle as he guided him upward.</p><p>“Listen, we’re a group of Jaegar pilots from Beacon. We have important information to give General Ironwood, trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to get in our way.”</p><p><em>That </em>caught the man’s attention, and his eyes caught Qrow’s again as he gave him a considering look. Qrow felt his heart beat faster at it. Maybe he had a chance to convince him. He jerked his chin towards Ruby. “I’m Qrow Branwen, and that’s Ruby Rose, one of Ice Flower’s pilots. We <em>need</em> to speak with the General.”</p><p>The man held his gaze for another moment. “If what you’re saying is true, then we can clear it up once we take you to Atlas.”</p><p>Qrow withheld a groan of frustration. Damn Atlesians and their inability to be reasonable. This was why he’d always avoided any contact with the Atlas Shatterdome, if he could avoid it. The man placed a hand along his back and pushed him firmly into the transport ahead where the rest of the kids had already been loaded. A cursory glance around told him they hadn’t bothered to take Maria, at least. That was something, if this situation kept moving along its current trajectory. He forced his feet into motion, preventing himself from falling as he climbed the stairs to the cargo hold.</p><p>Taking a seat on the metal bench, he caught the man’s eyes one last time, glaring at him as the doors of the transport slammed shut.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Settling In</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So this took much longer than I'd thought, as the plot of this story decided to grow much bigger than initially planned and got reworked a couple of times. Hopefully the length of this chapter helps make up for it, and please note the chapter count has been increased to five to try to accommodate this monster. </p><p>I added a quick summary of the movie to the first chapter notes, for anyone who hasn't had the chance to watch it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They arrived at the Atlas Shatterdome in chains, although once Ironwood was alerted to their presence the operatives removed them soon enough. With the record set straight, the Marshal brought them to the central room of the Shatterdome, a monumental space housing all the Jaeger bays with hallways leading out like spokes on a wheel, connected to everywhere else in the ‘dome.</p><p>The central room was the beating heart of the complex. It bustled with activity, full of pilots, mechanics, scientists, and custodial staff walking and talking, ensuring the whole place ran efficiently. There was a sharpness in the air, an edge of tension unique to the knowledge that danger was coming. Qrow realized, dodging around a driving cart full of wires and metal, how much part of him had missed that electric energy during the months of travel.</p><p>The war clock on the wall was as large as a billboard. The large rolling numbers loomed over the room, visible from every direction, recording the time since the last Grimm attack. Qrow glanced between Oscar and the clock as their group proceeded further into the expansive space. Six hours.</p><p>Accompanying the Marshal at his right hand was his protégé and Weiss’s older sister, Winter Schnee. Her heels clacked along the metal floor, and workers scattered out of the way at the sound. Even in the midst of the dirt, the grime, and the overcrowded bodies, Winter’s clothes were a spotless white. She held her face in stern lines, but Qrow had seen the concern slip over it earlier when she saw Weiss in the arrested party. Not to mention the relief she’d let slip when Weiss hugged her. Even Atlas’s resident Ice Queen hadn’t hardened enough to prevent every crack.</p><p>Flanking Ironwood’s other side was the man who had captured them in Mantle and subsequently introduced himself as Operative Clover Ebi.</p><p>Ebi had wasted no time before apologizing to them for the mistaken arrest, his tone easy but genuine as far as Qrow could tell. The gesture went a fair way in mollifying his not-exactly-congenial first impression of the man.</p><p>Qrow knew from long experience that James and the Atlesian military always leaned towards decisive action, a habit Ozpin had tried to curb in Ironwood more than once. While Qrow wouldn’t consider James’s aggression one of better personality traits, he could appreciate Clover’s sincerity and leave the unfortunate encounter at that.</p><p>Penny joined them shortly after. Qrow noticed a distinct lack of tackling Ruby to the ground this time as she took one look at Ironwood and evidently thought the better of it. Her smile of greeting was dimmer than on Mantle’s stress but no less authentic for it.</p><p>Ironwood directed them down a side hallway, through a sturdy iron door into another room, large but dwarfed in size by the one they had left. The room was their lab, Qrow guessed, based on the Grimm parts strewn about, the large chalkboard on the wall containing more math than Qrow could ever hope to understand, and the once-white walls and floors.</p><p>Beacon had had something similar, although even with the Shatterdome’s own Marshal as the lead scientist, the space had been considerably smaller. Ozpin had kept a tidy space and rarely ever brought in others to help; Oscar was a notable exception.</p><p>Besides the chunks of Grimm, the room was empty. The usual scientists, whoever they were, apparently gone for the moment.</p><p>Ironwood walked to the cleaner side of the room near the chalkboard, pulling out the desk chair and taking a seat. His entourage continued to flank him, standing in perfect military posture.</p><p>Qrow had scarcely seen Ironwood over the last few years, preferring to let his own Marshal handle the one from Atlas. Even so, Qrow couldn’t miss the new lines of stress carved into James’s face and the unkempt beard he was sporting. James looked tired. More careworn than Qrow might’ve thought possible just a few years back. The thought did not fill him with confidence.</p><p>James heaved out a sigh, steepling his fingers over his crossed legs. “Let’s have it, then. What’s the big news that’s so important for me to know?” He registered Qrow’s questioning look, darting his eyes between the Marshal and the three people behind him. James gave him a firm nod. “You can trust them. Anything you say to me they can hear.”</p><p>Oscar’s head swiveled back and forth between the groups, unsure of how to begin. Qrow took pity on the kid and cleared his throat.</p><p>“James, this is Oscar. He was Ozpin’s… apprentice, before the Fall,” he tripped over the word, gesturing over to the kid as he spoke. James’s guarded eyes followed the motion. He saw Oscar take a step back as the full weight of the Marshal’s gaze fell on him. Brothers, but the boy was small. “They were doing research on the Breach and the rate of Grimm attacks since it opened. They found something concerning, before-“</p><p>Qrow cut off, looking away. They all knew what it was before.</p><p>Thankfully, Oscar found his voice and took over, wavering at the beginning but gaining confidence as he spoke. “Marshal Ozpin’s research was focused on the rate of Grimm incursions and predicting what we can expect in the future. When the Breach opened, early scientists thought the rate of attack was consistent, and for years, it was. Since then, we’ve started to see Grimm events occur at a constant increasing rate.”</p><p>“We’re well aware of that. You might have noticed from the fleet we brought in to evacuate the city in case the Grimm reach the shoreline,” Ironwood interrupted, dry as anything. “You’ll have to forgive me, Oscar, but I don’t remember Ozpin ever mentioning an apprentice. His research was incredibly complex. Are you absolutely sure you understand this well enough?”</p><p>Oscar blanched and Qrow cut in. “Oscar was working hard alongside Oz right up until the Fall, James. You can trust that he knows everything Oz did.” An understatement, if anything, but it was close enough to the truth. Not for the first time, he wondered what in the hell Oz had been thinking.</p><p>James held his gaze a moment before giving him a short nod, returning his attention to Oscar.</p><p>Oscar began again. “What Marshal Ozpin found wasn’t just that the attack frequency was increasing- he found that it’s now happening exponentially.” Oscar walked to the board, surer now that he was absorbed in what he was saying. He picked up chalk and wrote out the math as he spoke. “For the past year, the attacks have been a month apart. Now we’re seeing even less than that, with only two weeks between the attack today and the last one over in Vacuo. If this trajectory continues, we’re going to see another event in even less than that amount of time, and after that we’ll be lucky to have even days between them. In a little under a month, we could be seeing a new attack every few minutes.”</p><p>James clenched his hands together, knuckles going white with tension. “You’re telling me that we need to find a permanent solution to the Breach within a <em>month</em>, or we’re all dead?”</p><p>Oscar swallowed. “Yes.”</p><p>James launched up from the chair, folding an arm behind his back and pacing the room. “It’s not as though we haven’t tried eliminating the Breach itself in the past. We’ve tried explosives, sending Jaegers, even electrical conduction into it. The Breach is never open long enough for anything to pass through.”                                                                                                                           </p><p>“We were hoping that maybe you might have developed new technologies that could help? Or could at least hold off the Grimm longer until we can think of a solution,” Oscar offered. </p><p>James grimaced. “Unfortunately we’ve had problems getting anywhere in that department. The Council believed the wall would be enough to protect Mantle, but the giant hole that Grimm just made suggests otherwise. Our attempts to reconfigure a Grimm's brain to pilot a Jaeger are at a dead-end. We hoped that with Penny’s development we could build a new wave of rangers, as smart and adaptable as humans but renewable, to fill our unused Jaegers and give us reason to build up our army.” His jaw clenched. “Apparently, we made her too close to human in some ways and not enough in others. After Beacon, we rebuilt Penny and tried putting her in a Jaeger, but the neural load was still too much for her to handle alone. What’s worse, she hasn’t been drift compatible with any of the numerous candidates we’ve set up so far. At this point, I’m doubtful that she has the capability. The Council wasn’t willing to waste more money on a failed project to build another and be certain.”</p><p>Qrow watched Penny as Ironwood spoke, the way her shoulders hunched and her neck bent over her folded hands the longer he went on. He was going to have to have a talk with Ironwood later. Penny may have been built rather than born but she was clearly just a kid, not that different from his own nieces. </p><p>Qrow saw Clover reach out when Ironwood started on about the drift, resting a gentle hand on Penny’s shoulder and giving her a light squeeze. Ruby also noticed her friend’s behavior and moved to grab her hand. Qrow was gratified to see a small smile appear on Penny’s face beneath the curtain of her bangs. </p><p>James’s attention returned to Oscar. “Ozpin always said he was working on a permanent solution. He didn’t tell you anything he knew that might be useful toward that purpose?”</p><p>“Nothing that I’m aware of, no.” Oscar’s eyes dropped to the floor, avoiding the piercing gaze. He wasn’t the only kid in the room who suddenly found the floor riveting.</p><p><em>That </em>was a diplomatic way of avoiding the real answer. The truth, that Oz had lied to them. That after all his years of research, he truly believed there was no defeating the Grimm in the end. That nothing he discovered even came close to providing an answer. Qrow’s hands itched for his flask.</p><p>James’s heavy sigh snapped Qrow back into focus. The Atlas Marshal was doing a lot of that lately, although Qrow couldn’t blame him. “Well, we won’t solve this in a single conversation, and you all look like you’ve had a hard road getting here. Clover and Penny can give you a tour of the Shatterdome, and then we can pick this up again tomorrow and discuss ranger assignments once you’ve all gotten some rest.”</p><p>Penny beamed at them and Clover gave them an easy smile, gesturing with his arm for them to follow him out the door and back to the central room of the ‘dome.</p><p>Qrow devoted a fraction of his attention to Clover as he began the tour, although the majority of the information he already knew.</p><p>In the early days of the Grimm threat, the Atlesian military had built the Atlas Shatterdome to launch over fifty Jaegers, each one the size of a small skyscraper. However, the decades of fighting and death and emptying funds to keep the Jaeger program ahead of the game had taken their toll. As it stood now, only two Jaegers saw regular use while the governments of Remnant scrambled to find alternate solutions, like the wall standing a few miles out from Mantle’s coastline. The one with a giant hole torn into it. Clover pointed the Jaegers out as they walked past.</p><p>Ruby’s gasp of delight tore Qrow from his thoughts.</p><p>“That’s Knuckle Bones! She’s the fastest Jaeger ever built!”</p><p>Clover smiled at her in approval. “You know your Jaegers, Miss Rose. Knuckle Bones has the fastest recorded speed to date, but with the recent technological advancements made to the new Jaegers we’ve scrapped together, we expect the lightest one of them may have the capability to surpass it.”</p><p>A scoff from behind had the group spinning around as a woman and a younger faunus strode up to them. “So they say. I wouldn’t bet on it just yet, we’ll see what the newbies manage to do with it first,” the woman said. Everything about her was short, from her height to her hair to the clipped sound of her words.</p><p>The man next to her crossed his arms, slouching in a way that was too put-on to be genuine. “Yeah, don’t count us out against a couple of <em>rookies</em>. Where’s your faith?”</p><p>Clover shook his head at them, though his expression betrayed his amusement. “Let me introduce the co-pilots for this Jaeger, Harriet Bree and Marrow Amin. Harriet and Marrow, this is ranger-instructor Qrow Branwen and the group of student-rangers who fought at Beacon.”</p><p>Marrow gave them a cocky grin. “Hard to believe it was kids like you that fought that Cat IV,” he scoffed, although Qrow pegged him for a few years older than Yang at most. “It’ll be nice to have back-up now, instead of having to do all the work ourselves.”</p><p>Qrow bit back his reply. Cockiness among rangers was far from uncommon, especially the ones who’d survived staring a six thousand-ton, interdimensional instrument of death in the face. Qrow couldn’t deny having plenty of his own back in the day, but he’d always known that winning against the Grimm was a team effort at the end of the everything. Trusting the teams at your back was almost as important as trusting your co-pilot. Pride was one thing but delusion was another, and far more dangerous.</p><p>Harriet and Marrow pushed through them to get to their Jaeger. “Try to avoid slowing us down,” Harriet commented over her shoulder, smirking as the pair walked away.</p><p>Clover’s gaze followed them a beat longer before he turned back to address the group. “You’ve met one ranger team.” He gestured to the next pod bay, where a woman built like a wrestler and a tall, thin man gave him a wave from the shadow of a massive brown and blue Jaeger. “Our other active team is Elm Ederne and Vine Zeki, riding in Thorn Roots.”</p><p>Watching Clover look at the ranger teams, Qrow felt a pang of sorrow for the man. The way he carried himself, how close he was to James, and his comfortable rapport with the ranger teams broadcasted ranger training. Very few pilots were lucky- or unlucky, depending on your viewpoint- enough to survive the loss of their partner, and those who did carried the scars for life.</p><p>Qrow realized he was staring when Clover gave him a curious look. He snapped his gaze away, focusing again when Clover started speaking.</p><p>According to him, five more Jaegers were under repair with no Atlesian pilot teams to operate them, though Ironwood had starting pushing recruitment harder in the past few months to try to bolster the number of pilot pairs available. Finding and training drift compatible ranger teams took time, however, and as the governments of the world had started to lose faith in the Jaeger program’s ability to protect the continent, the number of people brave or stupid enough to sign up had dwindled.</p><p>Clover sent a charming smile to the group at the end of his statement. “We’re lucky you showed up just in time to brush the dust off a few and take them for a spin,” he said with easy humor before continuing with the tour.</p><p>Jaune piped up from the back. “Uh, Mister- no, Operative- I mean, sir, how can I be of help? I don’t have a drift partner.” Qrow ached for the way his young voice darkened before Jaune rallied himself again. “But I have been teaching myself field medicine. I was able to learn a lot on the journey here.”</p><p>Clover’s smile gentled. “Dr. Pietro Polendina is our resident physician. I’m sure he and the rest of our medical team would be happy to have the extra hands around. I’ll introduce you.”</p><p>Jaune nodded, looking satisfied. Clover strode forward, hopefully to wrap up the rest of the tour.</p><p>Qrow moved to follow him before a familiar silhouette along the periphery of his vision caught his attention, freezing him in place.</p><p>The unfinished Jaeger in the final bay was massive, as all Jaegers were, but even so, this one’s bulk outclassed the others. The enormity of it was a stark contrast to the sleeker lines of the other Jaegers in the bay, a lone Mark III Jaeger in a pack of Mark VIIs. From a distance, the frame seemed to move, as though it was crawling with spiders. Countless teams of engineers covered its surface as they welded the metal together, harnessed in the pod bay so they could climb up to the top.</p><p>The hull was a dark, shining gray, surrounding a gaping hole for a reactor core in the center. Dull red accents were inlaid in the grooves of the arms, with brighter teal weaving through the red and outlining the metal of the torso. The configuration of the machine was human-like, including the conn-pod at the top shaped like a human head with narrowed eyes for the pilot deck. The engineers had made changes, but despite them, the familiarity of the Jaeger made Qrow’s breath catch.</p><p>He might not have seen the shape of it in years, but he would recognize that frame as surely as his own reflection. A strange sense of nausea and nostalgia threatened to sweep him under.</p><p>In front of him, Clover and the kids were looking at him in curiosity.</p><p>Ruby and Yang followed his gaze, gasping together this time. “That looks like Bad Omen,” Yang said, whipping around to look at Clover. “Where did you get this Jaeger from?”</p><p>Clover tilted his head. “This Jaeger has been sitting in the ‘dome for years, as far as I know.” He turned and caught the attention of a nearby woman in an engineer’s uniform standing underneath the hulking frame of the Jaeger, waving her over. “Robyn’s our resident head of engineering. She could tell you more about it.”</p><p>“What’s up?” she asked, resting a hand on her hip. “You guys are the group from Beacon right?” She shrugged at their startled looks. “Word passes fast around here.”</p><p>Qrow jerked his chin toward the bay. “Where’d you find the parts for that Jaeger? Don’t see many Mark IIIs around anymore.”</p><p>“We were given the frame to use to experiment with upgrades for newer models, back when my predecessor was here.” Robyn ran a hand through sweat-damp blonde bangs plastered to her forehead. “She sat in the engineering lab for decades as far as I know, until Ironwood told us one of his contacts managed to scavenge some guts and hull pieces that were compatible with her. He had us pull her out of storage and get to work making her functional.”</p><p>“You think she’ll run missions again?” Qrow’s heart beat faster at the thought.</p><p>“If I have anything to say about it she will, and I do.” Robyn smirked. “The Mark IIIs were sturdy models, equipped with a nuclear core instead of relying solely on electric. A good portion of the internal energy systems managed to survive whatever took her down. With a few weapons upgrades, she should be able to hold her own even with the newer models.”</p><p>Qrow had no difficulty recalling the damage the Jaeger had sustained on her last mission. The Grimm had ripped the pilot deck apart and destroyed the entirety of the wiring on the right side. Qrow went back to the Jaeger once, a few days after it happened, as soon as he was strong enough to make the walk without collapsing. The sight wrecked him. He’d found the nearest stash of alcohol and drank enough that he barely remembered any of the next few days after that until Oz hauled him into his office and brought him to his senses. Oz decommissioned the Jaeger shortly after on Qrow’s insistence, and Qrow had assumed he gave her to the scrap heap to be incorporated into Mark IVs. He’d never expected to see her again.</p><p>Would Ozpin really have sold the parts of his old Jaeger and not told him?</p><p>A year ago, he would’ve said no. A year ago, he would have been sure Oz would have shared something that important, that he knew would affect Qrow so strongly. But after what Oscar had shared with them on the journey... he didn’t know anymore. Ozpin had been keeping all kinds of secrets from him, apparently. What was one more?</p><p>The thought was a bitter one. Qrow shoved it aside.</p><p>As the years passed, the Mark III fell out of favor until almost none were still in use. Barely any of the rangers from those years lived anymore. There was one Mark III still working in Vacuo, last he’d heard, although for all he knew it might be history now. This new one of Atlas’s could very well be the only one left in a line of Jaegers that had held the Grimm back for a decade.</p><p>Although the new Jaegers were impressive achievements in engineering, Qrow preferred his old model. The loss of the nuclear core’s weight gave the new Mark VIIs far more speed and agility in a fight, but the Mark IIIs were built to last.</p><p>“She have a name yet?” Assuming Ironwood remembered what she was, Qrow couldn’t believe he’d have the gall to keep it the same.</p><p>Clover was the one who answered. “Harbinger King.”</p><p>
  <em>Harbinger King.</em>
</p><p>There was more grandeur in that name than Bad Omen, but to his surprise, something about it appealed to Qrow all the same. He could give his grudging approval. New name or not though, she was still made from Bad Omen; his skin crawled at the thought of watching a new crew pilot his Jaeger.</p><p>Robyn was talking again. “The sooner we defeat the Grimm, the sooner Mantle can stop living in Atlas’s shadow.” Her gray eyes hardened as they took in the scenery around them. She turned to look over her shoulder as she walked away. “When we don’t need this place anymore, that’ll be the real victory.”</p><p>Qrow canted his head, focused on Clover again. “I know Ironwood is trying to build as many Jaegers as he can get his hands on, but who is going to pilot it? There can’t be that many rangers left who would know how.”</p><p>Qrow would, if he were still active. Ironwood might be able to, but Marshals needed to stay back to coordinate missions and run the ‘dome. Clover was another possibility, depending on when he had joined the military and first piloted. Thorn Roots was a Mark V, closer to the Mark III than Mark VII in size but not in controls.</p><p>Clover raised an eyebrow. “Well, you’re right about that,” he remarked. “But with the Council continuing to cut funding to the program, the General felt any Jaeger parts we could find couldn’t go to waste. We still have the old simulations from back when the old models were in use, so we can train the any new rangers on it when needed.”</p><p>Qrow was skeptical about that plan- piloting a Mark III and knowing the ins and outs of how it worked was going to be a challenge to any pilot coming from the academy prepped for a Mark VII. He kept the comment to himself. James was a bulldozer but he wasn’t a fool, and he was right that a functional Jaeger was an asset they couldn’t afford to waste.</p><p>“That’s about it for a grand tour,” Clover said with a sharp clap of his hands. He glanced around, taking in their drawn expressions. Qrow hadn’t missed that Jaune’s eyes had been more closed than open over the last few minutes. “I think it’s past time for you all to turn in. You’ll find the hallway with the dorms straight to your right, feel free to take any empty room, the keys will be in the door. Get some rest, you’ve earned it.”</p><p>Bleary-eyed, the kids thanked him as they trundled off. Qrow indulged in one prolonged final glance his Jaeger before following them.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Qrow swung his staff hard, whipping it up to block the other one about to connect with his arm. The wood let out a sharp crack as it hit. Before Yang could recover, Qrow used his other hand to arc the opposite end of the staff low, stilling the movement just before it could leave a bruise on her side.</p><p>“That’s four-one to me, firecracker. Match over.” Qrow leaned on the staff while his niece huffed in frustration, running his other hand through his bangs. The other three girls clapped, calling out words of encouragement for Yang. “You’re improving, but you still have that tendency to rush forward when you should fall back and regroup. You won’t always be able to out grapple the Grimm in a head to head fight, no matter how strong your Jaeger is. You need to learn how to think like a ranger and be smart instead.”</p><p>Yang blew out a breath, the air ruffling a few loose strands of her hair. “Yeah, I know. Thanks Uncle Qrow.”</p><p>She walked over to kneel by her partner, Blake putting a calming hand on her arm. They were good as co-pilots. Where Yang’s instinct was to charge ahead, Blake preferred to rely on agility and get the measure of her opponent before a strike. Separate, overreliance on either of those strategies could mean the difference between winning and losing, but together they balanced to a deadly team.</p><p>Qrow watched the two young rangers talk, so natural in their combined space that they compensated for each other’s movements so fast he doubted they were conscious of doing it. He hid a smile as Yang said something that made Blake blush, the faunus girl reaching behind to brush her hand across the nape of her neck. The move was Yang, through and through.</p><p>Qrow would know, since Yang got it from watching him.</p><p>There were different levels of drift compatibility in ranger pairs. The Atlesian military preferred pairs determined by complimentary skill sets over personality matches, although they had eventually submitted to the knowledge that rangers with natural drift compatibility performed better in the field. Ozpin, and therefore Beacon, had been a devoted believer in the importance of strong drift compatibility from the beginning. He began the process of allowing rangers to choose their co-pilots after getting a feel for how the other fought. Tai and Summer’s success, as well as Qrow and Raven’s in the beginning, had gone a long way in proving what real compatibility could accomplish.</p><p>Finding a partner with some level of compatibility occurred often enough. With patience and trust, compatibility could be nurtured over time. Finding rangers with a true connection, on the other hand, was rare. Having three the way Qrow and his niece’s parents had was unheard of.</p><p>Ruby and Yang took after their parents in that respect. Both had created bonds with their partners that went deep enough to persist even outside the drift. Weiss and Ruby had taken longer to settle into their partnership, but over time their bond had developed to be as strong as any Qrow had ever seen.</p><p>Qrow cocked his head toward the group, opening his mouth to speak before the sight of a newcomer in the periphery of his vision stilled him for a moment. He didn’t know how long the man had been watching from where he was leaning against the doorway, but Qrow forced himself not to turn and look. He smoothed over the momentary pause by switching his balance on the staff.</p><p>“So, who’s next?” he asked.</p><p>Ruby’s hand shot up, a bare moment before her body did, grabbing the staff Yang had dropped on the floor. “Me! It’s my turn!”</p><p>Qrow felt a fond smile tug at his lips and turned it into a smirk, bringing his staff up over his shoulder and gesturing her forward.</p><p>Ruby was a different fighter than her sister. She was younger than Yang, with less brute strength to put behind her blows, but she made up for it with speed. Ruby was also more familiar with his style, since Qrow had dedicated time training her while Tai focused on his elder daughter.</p><p>They sparred until Qrow hit four points, Ruby managing to pull two for herself in the meantime. Qrow felt a rush of pride every time she did. Ruby had grown up at Beacon and on the road after the Fall, and her dedication showed in the way her combat skills had soared.</p><p>A shifting silhouette by the doorway reminded him that they had an audience.</p><p>“Comments from the peanut gallery?” Qrow threw the question to Clover, deciding to acknowledge the man’s presence and take the opportunity to grab a swig from his water bottle.</p><p>Qrow had dropped by the mission simulator to check the scores earlier in the day. Clover was the ranking champ of the ‘dome, and his stats were nothing to sneeze at. Qrow couldn’t deny that he was interested in hearing what he had to say.</p><p>In unison, Ruby and Yang looked over at Clover and nodded with emphatic encouragement.</p><p>Clover raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Looking good, for the most part. Yang, I agree that you would benefit from spending more time on the defensive, working on studying your opponent. Ruby, you might want to focus on improving your grappling. There were a few moments where Qrow left openings that might have let either of you put him back on his guard if you had noticed and taken advantage of them. Otherwise, you both did very well.”</p><p>Qrow paused, the bottle just leaving his lips as he stopped for a breath between chugs. He never deluded himself into thinking he was a perfect fighter, but even after a decade out of a Jaeger he still had the highest Grimm kill record of any ranger alive, and he hadn’t let his fighting skills drop an inch in the intervening years. Any openings he left were fleeting and well-hidden by his rather unconventional style, benefits of learning to fight on the fly. Picking up on that wasn’t something he’d expect from most anyone, let alone someone trained in the classic military forms of Atlas. Either Clover talked a big game, or he really was as good as his scores suggested.</p><p>The sounds of sparring had drawn more people to the training room. A handful of students were scattered around the opposite end of the floor, in addition to an older, white-haired woman who seemed annoyed at the intrusion.</p><p>Yang’s voice yanked his attention away. She grinned, looking between him and Clover. “How about a demonstration?”</p><p>“A demonstration <em>could</em> help us pick up on how to take advantage of those openings you were talking about,” Weiss agreed.</p><p>Yang cheered and held up a hand for Weiss to high-five. Weiss rolled her eyes as she raised her hand to pat it.</p><p>Clover sent a questioning glance his way and Qrow shrugged. He didn’t have any concerns about proving his own abilities. More tempting, Qrow had to admit, was the chance to indulge in his curiosity to see if the other man had the skill to back up his words.</p><p>Clover turned towards the older woman. “Would that be alright with you, Operative Cordovin? I don’t want to interrupt your class.”</p><p>The woman gave a haughty sniff and distaste soured Qrow’s mouth. “I suppose a demonstration could be beneficial for the students. I will allow it.”</p><p>Clover gave her a smile that was a little too amiable. “We appreciate your forbearance.”</p><p>Ruby tossed him the staff she had been holding and Clover caught it with ease, giving it a light twirl in his grip. His handling of the wood was effortless.</p><p>“I’m not going to go easy on you.” Qrow tossed a smirk to his opponent as they fell into position.</p><p>Clover’s chuckle was low. “Neither will I.”</p><p>Qrow kicked the floor end of the staff into his open hand and settled into his first stance, watching his opponent carefully as Clover did the same. Clover stopped the twirl with his other hand and brought the staff to his front, holding it mostly parallel to the floor. The move surprised him- he would have predicted a more aggressive strategy from someone of Clover’s build and background.</p><p>“Ready?” he asked, and whirled into movement as Clover finished his nod. Clover’s speed saved him from an early loss, snapping his staff up in time to block Qrow’s as it cracked downward.</p><p>Qrow moved his feet faster, not giving Clover the chance to recover before the next assault. He spun the staff forward, his steps forcing Clover to mirror his movements and move back. With a final twist, Qrow swung the staff down hard, the wood creaking with effort as Clover blocked him again. Drawing more of his strength, he pushed down hard on the top of his staff, dragging Clover’s top end with him to the ground. The minute widening of Clover’s eyes showed that the other man hadn’t expected Qrow to be able to overpower him.</p><p>Before Clover could get into position, Qrow snapped the top back up, stopping himself a second from delivering a blow to Clover’s head as Clover ducked hard, throwing the tip of his staff toward Qrow’s feet. Qrow pivoted away from the blow, using the swing to spin around and bring the backside of his staff to unsettle Clover’s steady footing in retaliation. Clover jumped over it but Qrow kept flowing with the movement, whirling around once more to strike with the opposite end of his staff. He cut it short, the end of the wood a bare centimeter from breaking Clover’s nose.</p><p>The most ridiculous grin was spreading across Clover’s face. In the background, his nieces yelled encouragements. Qrow let his lips twitch up. “One-zero.”</p><p>Clover gave him the barest nod before throwing himself back at Qrow, his staff knocking Qrow’s away from his face. Qrow had fought fast opponents before, but this level of speed in someone of Clover’s size was still astonishing enough to throw him off. He leaned into the blow, swinging the opposite end of his staff around to aim at Clover’s middle. The move was the same one he’d used on Yang earlier, but Clover was ready for it. He pivoted to the side, snapping the upper end of the rod down and allowing the inertia of it to carry the block. He readjusted his grip and thrust forward, controlling the motion so that the wood stopped just shy of making a mark, kissing the air above Qrow’s forehead. Qrow felt the breeze of the abrupt motion cool the sweat that had beaded there.</p><p>Clover had the audacity to wink at him. Qrow wondered absently when he’d started grinning back. “One-one.”</p><p>They were both off moving again, the room silent now outside of the clicks of the staffs and huffs of breath. Qrow threw himself into the fight, consumed by how Clover matched him move for move, taking advantage of every opening. He pushed himself faster, harder, felt his muscles start to shake with effort the way they hadn’t in years.</p><p><em>There</em>. An opening. Subtle, but enough for those who knew what to look for. Qrow swung hard, throwing Clover on his back foot and spinning the staff up to his neck, panting.</p><p>“Two-one. Don’t fall behind.”</p><p>Clover’s eyes danced as he met Qrow’s gaze. He surged forward, striking faster and with more aggression than he had before. Qrow reacted, kept on the defensive by the ferocity of the blows. Clover ducked, going low to slip the staff under his arm and twist hard. Qrow hit the floor, curling with the trajectory of the throw to roll himself back to a defensible position. He reached his knees, whipping the staff up to a block a moment too late to prevent Clover’s from reaching his neck.</p><p>“Two-two. I’m not the one to be worried about.”</p><p> Qrow narrowed his eyes, studying him. Two could play at that game. When they began again, Qrow let Clover come close, holding out on the defensive. Clover drove him most of the way across the floor before he saw it, the slightest overstep as Clover went to lunge. Qrow dropped down, ignoring the pain that flared in his knees and hooking his staff around Clover’s leg to trip him and take him to the floor.</p><p>The move might have been the end of it, if Clover hadn’t reacted almost as fast as Qrow, rocking backward as soon as he’d stepped into the lunge and pivoting onto his back foot. Qrow brought his staff up to block his right side without thinking, and the sharp click of wood hitting wood felt as obvious as if Clover had told him where he was going to strike.</p><p>Qrow had to pause for a moment, jarred out of the haze of the fight. Across from him, he noticed Clover doing the same, green eyes wide. That had been interesting. He hadn’t felt anything like that in a while, not since-</p><p>A sharp clap snapped his focus away from Clover. Qrow almost forgot they had an audience. “Well, I think that was quite enough of a demonstration for today, thank you.”</p><p>Qrow turned to glare at her while Clover voiced his thoughts. “Matches are traditionally concluded at four points, Operative.” The slightest bit of breathlessness hid under his controlled tone. Qrow felt a rush of satisfaction as small aches and pains protested his treatment of his muscles. He wasn’t the only one who would be sore tomorrow.</p><p>Cordovin raised a gray eyebrow at him. “You do not need to inform me of the proper combat rules, Operative Ebi. As one of the first teachers in the Shatterdome, I would hazard to say I am more well-versed in them than you.” Her disdainful gaze moved to Qrow, who refused to dial down his own glare. She was far from the first person to look at him like that, Atlesian or otherwise. “I simply question the wisdom in showing the students any further display of such a, shall we say, unpredictable style.”</p><p>Atlesians.</p><p>“If you think a Grimm is going to give a shit if you have a perfect stance or have mastered a basic thrust, you’re going to be at a serious disadvantage in a real fight with one. An attitude like that is setting these kids up for failure.” Qrow shook his head. “The Grimm are a hive-mind, each time one dies, the others learn how to kill us <em>better</em>. Unpredictably might not be up to your personal classroom standards, but out there? It saves lives.”</p><p>“I’m sure that was a great comfort to your late partner and your obliterated Shatterdome. Perhaps you should leave the teaching to those of us whose positions still exist.”</p><p>The words slammed into Qrow harder than any physical blow. Distantly, he registered the uproar of his niece’s protests over the wafting smell of roses in the air and the sharp taste of salt water on his tongue.</p><p>Clover’s authoritative voice slashed through it. “Operative Cordovin, you are out of line. The General has invited our allies from Beacon to advise him and they have volunteered to fight in defense of our Shatterdome. You <em>will</em> treat them with respect.”</p><p>“I suppose you would know. After all, they’re not the first failures the General has taken an interest in, are they?” she said, her voice dripping with sweetness, and it was Clover’s turn to falter. “At least he has the wisdom to leave the next generation of students in the care of someone with a better track record.” Qrow didn’t bother to control his snap.</p><p>“If James at any sense at all, then clearly <em>Clover </em>would be teaching these students instead of <em>you</em>. At least he knows not to piss off his allies.”</p><p>“<em>General Ironwood. </em>And I think he knows what’s best for Atlas better than an out-of-touch ex-ranger who hasn’t been here a week.”</p><p>“That’s enough.” Clover’s voice was cold. “We should all be grateful, they’ve done more to protect Remnant from the Grimm than anyone else here. I doubt the General would appreciate you questioning his judgement.” He sighed, relaxing his shoulders as she tried to cover a flinch. “We’ve delayed your students too much already. We’re done here. Instruct your class how you see fit.”</p><p>She gave them a smile that was far too satisfied. Qrow’s blood boiled. “I always do.”</p><p>Clover’s apologetic gaze locked with Qrow’s as he gestured toward the door and Qrow relented, letting the acidic words dissipate off his tongue. He dropped the staff on the floor, not bothering to store it or hand it over. Petty, sure, but it alleviated some of the fire raging in him.</p><p>One glance over to where his nieces had sprung to their feet killed the rest of it. Ruby’s face was shattered as she stared at Cordovin in disbelief. Weiss tugged gently at her shoulder to get Ruby to leave, her own eyes misty. Her other arm was held out across Yang and Blake, looking ready to pounce with anger burning in their eyes.</p><p>Qrow slouched, letting his hands fall into his pockets. “Come on kids, let’s go. She’s not worth it.” He didn’t bother to lower his voice with the words, and he swore could hear the cracking of clenched teeth behind him. Good. He reached out to ruffle Ruby’s hair.</p><p>Weiss’s gentle grip over her partner tightened as she tried to pull her away one more time. This time, Ruby allowed herself to go. Yang and Blake followed the pair, glaring the whole way out.</p><p>Qrow released a deep breath when Clover shut the door behind them. Weiss’s free arm had found its way back around Blake’s shoulders and Blake and Yang were hand in hand. They’d be okay.</p><p>Weiss broke the strained silence. “Let’s go find Jaune and the others and see what they’ve been up to. We can all go eat together.”</p><p>Ruby turned back to check on him before they went and he waved her off, grateful to see the usual spark returning to her eyes. The group of them filed out and were lost soon enough in the bustle of the dome.</p><p>“Any plans for what to do next?” Clover asked, tone casual as he took up a position beside him.</p><p>The faintest edge of nausea was remained but his stomach gnawed at him underneath the churning. He shrugged. “I think the kids might have the right idea. Food sounds pretty okay right about now.”</p><p>Clover’s eyes were bright in the dim light of the hallway. Bright and far too kind. “Care to join me then?”</p><p>Qrow wasn’t sure what it was about Clover. Maybe it was that Clover had put up the best fight he’d had in years, or even because the other man had posed the question in a tone that suggested he wouldn’t hold it against Qrow if he declined the offer. Maybe it wasn’t about him at all and it came down to craving adult company after traveling with teenagers for months. Whatever the reason, Qrow was surprised at how tempted he was to agree. So he did.</p><p>He swept his arm out in a wide arc. “Lead the way.”</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>The two of them sat down at an empty table in the cafeteria, their trays clattering as they set them down. Atlesian supply lines were still holding strong enough for lunch to involve meat, vegetables, and fruit, foods that hadn’t been a sure thing for Qrow and the kids for months.</p><p>“I really do apologize for Operative Cordovin’s comments earlier. I hope you know that the Atlas Shatterdome is thankful to all of you. We’re glad to have more rangers and someone with your level of experience.”</p><p>Qrow shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not exactly the first time I’ve gotten comments like that.” </p><p>“Still, it was unacceptable. I’ll make sure General Ironwood hears about it. I don’t want her bothering you or the kids.” Clover protested, following it up with a smile. “And I have to disagree with her assessment. Your fighting style is pretty effective. I’ve never seen anything like it before.” </p><p>“That’s what happens when you learn to fight out in the world and not-” Qrow cut off what he was about to say. “-uh, not here, anyway.” He cleared his throat. “You didn’t do half bad yourself. Most people don’t manage to adapt like that.”</p><p>The way Clover’s eyes brightened was more endearing than Qrow wanted to admit. Clover laughed. </p><p>“You made me work for it, that’s for sure. You must have been terrifying in a Jaeger.”</p><p>“One of the best,” Qrow’s smirk faded as he speared a piece of fruit on his fork. “Been a long time though.”</p><p>Tai had retired after everything, retreating to Signal to help select the next crop of cadets while he raised the girls. Qrow knew Tai wanted to help, but after Raven left and Summer was lost, he couldn’t handle living at the Beacon Shatterdome, not with all the memories the four of them had made haunting every room.</p><p>Qrow, for his part, had considered doing the same. Except it wasn’t long before being away from the fight had left an unbearable itch under skin. He knew he had to return. To be there and help in whatever way he could, even though he’d never pilot another Jaeger.</p><p>Clover was still watching him patiently.  Qrow swallowed the bite. “I’m sure you understand though. Hard to jump back in the game once you’ve already played and lost.” Twice over in his case.</p><p>Clover’s skill with the staff, the way he carried himself, and his comfort with the Jaeger teams screamed ranger. Yet his name was unfamiliar, he wasn’t on an active team, and in the past couple days Qrow hadn’t seen any hint of a co-pilot. That said enough.</p><p>Now Clover was staring at him, expression tight with confusion. Qrow replayed the conversation in his head, trying to find his misstep. Clover didn’t look upset as far as Qrow could tell, but maybe he was shocked that Qrow had even referenced the subject of his partner.</p><p>Every ranger who survived the death of their drift partner handled the grief a different way. Some had trouble accepting it, acting as though their partner was still with them. Others shut down as their mind struggled to accept the new reality.</p><p>Science said that the drift didn’t persist after the termination of the neural link but science also, in Qrow’s opinion, didn’t understand shit about how the drift really worked. Qrow had only drifted with Summer once but his mind held onto her for weeks after he lost her. Even now, years later, he’d catch himself copying a mannerism of hers without thinking and nausea would crash over him.</p><p>Uncertain of what emotional turmoil he might’ve just caused, Qrow backpedaled hard.</p><p>“Shit, sorry, I didn’t mean to-”</p><p>“No, no,” Clover waved his hands at him. “No, it’s fine, I just assumed you knew. Secrets don’t really exist in the ‘dome, so people tend to know everything about each other. I forgot that you probably haven’t had the chance to talk to too many people yet.”</p><p>Or it was that Qrow would rather not bother with most people in the first place, especially here, but he wasn’t going to correct him.</p><p>“Look, whatever it is, you don’t have to tell me. I wasn’t trying to put you on the spot.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it, I’m not trying to hide anything. You’ll find out sooner or later anyway.” Clover shrugged with forced nonchalance. “You’re right that I was trained as a pilot but,” his eyes flickered away and back again, “I’ve never had a drift compatible partner before.”</p><p>Qrow blinked in surprise.</p><p>With Clover’s fighting skills and easygoing personality, Qrow had difficulty believing the other man would have trouble finding a partner, considering even <em>he </em>had managed to have three compatibility matches, and Brothers knew he wasn’t easy to drift with. Qrow didn’t know how he would feel, if he’d never been able to find a partner at all.</p><p>He had assumed Clover’s situation was like his own, but in this context, he could see why Clover had recoiled at Cordovin’s words. In the moments when the memories clawed at him and trapped him in a maze of his own grief and guilt, he clung to the knowledge of the people he had saved like a lifeline. Getting rid of his flask, his only other method of escape, had made him cling harder. Even though he’d lost Summer, and in a different way lost Raven and lost Tai, at least he could say that he’d laid his own life on the line as much as anyone else to protect the people of Remnant. Their teams had defended the coastline for a record number of years against the Grimm. They’d saved countless lives.</p><p>The solace was cold, but it meant something. He couldn’t imagine living without it.</p><p>Clover continued, smoothing over the weighted silence Qrow left hanging. “Lucky for me, I have some limited Jaeger-piloting experience, enough to prepare our teams for their first time in a Jaeger and advise them on missions. Though I can’t say I wouldn’t rather be out there holding the front lines myself.”</p><p>“Jaeger experience? You’ve piloted before?”</p><p>Clover nodded. “I was part of the solo ranger program here in Atlas way back.”</p><p>“You’re lucky you’re not <em>dead</em>,” Qrow said, blunt in his surprise.</p><p>Beacon had never participated in any solo ranger trials. Ozpin had preferred the idea of a dual-pilot system from the start, defending his position to the government of Vale as a much safer one than the other ‘domes had taken. He refused to put his rangers in any more risk than already necessary. As usual, Oz had been proven right when the other ‘domes reported the programs as catastrophic failures, with far more casualties coming to light than had been initially reported. The backlash almost ended the ranger program altogether before the dual-system at Beacon served as a template for other Shatterdomes to follow.</p><p>Piloting a Jaeger solo was near impossible. It took a mind of extraordinary integrity just to survive the initial neural link without the balance of another pilot to lighten to load of the connection with the Jaeger, let alone to move it or use weapons. Most would-be solo rangers who had entered the program broke under the strain to varying degrees of permanent brain damage or death. Even Qrow, after his last, disastrous mission with Summer, had barely been able to bring Bad Omen back to the bay before folding under the strain of the link, and he had been operating in that Jaeger for years. Clover’s luck and resilience were extraordinary, for him to be sitting here whole after having attempted it.</p><p>The solemn expression on Clover’s face told Qrow that he was well aware of it too. The smallest flicker of a smile broke over it.</p><p>“I got lucky,” he allowed. “Believe me, I don’t plan on pushing my luck that far again. The first time was plenty. Atlas hasn’t run solo missions for years, anyway.”</p><p>Qrow snorted. “Took you guys long enough.”</p><p>“True. Although if it had worked, it would make finding pilots a lot easier.” Clover’s face creased into worry.  “At least we have more of a fighting chance now with a few more ranger teams. We would’ve been overrun in a few weeks relying on just two. Those kids really are skilled, by the way, from what I saw in the training room today. You’ve done a great job with them.”</p><p>Qrow tensed, uncomfortable with the praise. Clover had it wrong. Qrow had handled Ruby’s early training, sure, and had a hand in improving on the team’s basics. Here and there, he’d provided guidance from his own experience piloting a Jaeger to give them an idea of what to expect. He had been a calm voice in their ears to advise them on weak points to exploit during missions. None of that changed the fact that everything Ruby, Yang, and the rest of them had learned came down to their own dedication. Five minutes in a Jaeger was worth weeks of sparring in the ‘dome.</p><p>“They’re the ones doing all the work and fighting the real battles. They deserve the credit.”</p><p>“It’s true that there’s nothing that can fully prepare you for being in a Jaeger, but you shouldn’t discount your own influence.” Clover caught his gaze and held it. “There’s a big difference between teams that are trained well and those that aren’t. They’re alive because you equipped them with the skills and knowledge they needed to survive.”</p><p>The green eyes locked on him were warm, and Qrow ducked his head to avoid them, scratching at the back of his neck. “That’s one way to look at it,” he said, hesitating over the words. “But it’s not the same as being out there fighting with them.”</p><p>A heavy silence settled over them.</p><p>“The idea of going into the drift after losing your partner must be painful,” Clover said after a moment, voice soft. He paused longer. “Have you ever considered getting in a Jaeger again?”</p><p>Qrow closed his eyes against the memories. “I tried it, once, after,” he said, swallowing down the guilt at the thought of angry, devastated blue eyes. “It didn’t go very well.”</p><p>Clover nodded, and Qrow was grateful he didn’t dig any further. “Well, in any case, we’re lucky to have you. All of you.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Qrow said, meaning it for more than just the compliment. He couldn’t stop a small smile from crossing over his face.</p><p>Clover winked at him. “Anytime.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you enjoyed!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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